RESOURCES

Missing Middle & Housing Choice

The resources found in this section are offered as a courtesy to those seeking to learn more about micro-housing and housing choice. We have had first-hand experiences with many of the organizations that are included, but please do your own due diligence when contacting any company or person listed here. MicroLife Institute does not specifically endorse any organization, other than our own.

ORGANIZATIONS:

Congress for the New Urbanism - CNU provides “resources, education, and technical assistance to create socially just, economically robust, environmentally resilient, and people centered places.”

NOAH - The National Organization of Alternative Housing provides nationwide inspection and tiny house certification for small and DIY home builders. A National Trade Association for builders, Manufacturers & DIY'ers, producing Tiny Houses, more suitable for permanent, full-time or part-time residential living.

The Cohousing Association of America - “CohoUS is a national nonprofit that seeks to advance cohousing and shift the culture toward a new American dream where every home is surrounded by caring, collaborative neighbors who use less of the earth’s resources while living an abundant life.”

Tiny Home Industry Association - “THIA is on a mission to advocate for regulation changes, develop industry best practices and construction standards, AND increase widespread use of tiny homes as permissible and permanent housing.” Find tiny house friendly places.

YIMBY Action - “These resources explore the impact of housing supply on costs, the benefits of density, the role of zoning and other local regulations, and the racism that contributed to our housing crises.”

ONLINE RESOURCES:

Accessory Dwelling Unit Info - "A one-stop source about accessory dwelling units, multigenerational homes, laneway houses, ADUs, granny flats, in-law units…"

American Tiny House Association - "Our goal is to support tiny house enthusiasts who are seeking creative and affordable housing as part of a more sustainable and self-reliant lifestyle. What can you gain here?

  1. Find model codes.

  2. Review construction guidelines for tiny houses and provide feedback.

Houseplans - A great website to buy house plans at a reasonable price.  Search for small homes designed by architects including Bruce Tolar.

Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University - “Our Center produces a wide range of working papers, research briefs, and major reports about homeownership, rental housing, affordability, aging, remodeling, and more.” Research | Blog.

Missing Middle Housing -“Missing Middle” was coined by Daniel Parolek of Opticos Design, Inc. in 2010 to define a range of multi-unit or clustered housing types compatible in scale with single-family homes that help meet the growing demand for walkable urban living.

MuniCode Library  - A library of zoning codes and ordinances organized by State and then local municipality (City/County).  Learn more about how to use these in our online course Zoning 101.

Our Town Plans-  "OUR TOWN PLANS was founded as a division of Historical Concepts and, focuses exclusively on pre-designed plans, while allowing Historical Concepts to continue serving clients who desire custom architecture and planning services."  Their plans for small "bunkies" & guest houses are great options as foundational tiny homes, and available for purchase.

PAD Tiny Houses - PAD connects do-it-yourselfers with the resources and information they need to build homes that fit the lives they want to live. Our tiny house construction plans, books and educational workshops have helped thousands of people learn to build a little house on wheels that offers them new ways to see their time, money, hobbies, possessions and communities.

The Tiny Project - “The Tiny Project is my attempt to live a simpler, more conscious, debt-free life, and in doing so helping to set and example and educate the community about alternative, affordable, more sustainable ways of living.”

Tiny Home Builders - "Looking to build your own tiny house but don’t have any experience? We’ve got you covered. Start out with our construction guide to learn the basics, subscribe to our videos to actually see it done, or attend one of our workshops to get real hands-on experience."

Tiny House Expedition - “Through our extensive experience researching and documenting of the tiny house movement, we're practically tiny-encyclopedias. Our true passion is connecting people with the resources, inspiration, and connections they need to pursue their simple living interests.”

LENDING RESOURCES:

  • Credit Unions: Check with your local credit union for options to finance your development

  • Review this presentation on Financing Your Tiny House!

  • Suntrust has a widely used program called LightStream that can be used for renovations (for construction of ADUs in backyards) or for tiny houses on wheels (considered RVs).